Sweetie belle breathed heavily as her eyes glanced around the familiar farm. The things she'd seen, heard everything she'd been through had almost been too much for the little filly. But she held on, being at Sweet apple Acres was fine and having Apple bloom close by helped but the filly really just wanted everything to go back to normal. To see ponies smiling once more. really she just wanted her family back.

* * *

Meanwhile a young girl (roughly 18-22) slowly edged her way towards the city. Her hair was a dark orange and she wore what could be considered camping/hiking/hunting gear. She had a classic backpack over her shoulder, with a berretta handgun holstered to her leg and a machete crafted into a makeshift sword. Her eyes gave a quick scan of the city; The last month had made her wary of Towns and cities but she was sure this time she was close. The email was the only thing keeping her going and she was she had finally tracked down the source.

"Think we found them this time?" The girl asked slowly,

"I hope so...I don't know how much further I can go." A frilly haired mare replied.

The unicorn mare had a light magenta coat with a darker colored magenta mane and tail. The saddle bag on her back seemed to be filled with cooking utensils and different ingredients.

"Hey maybe we'll be lucky and they'll have a working kitchen or something around here." the girl said with a smile.

"I-I wouldn't get our hopes up...there's no telling if there here...or...friendly." the little mare said but smiled a little. "I'd love to bake again...feels like forever since I did..."

'I know I know.' the girl said "Don't worry though...I mean You remember what I told you. That email said they had a cure."

"S-should we..."

"Not yet. Probably not the best of ideas to just stroll right into a city. Gotta make sure it's safe.'

The girl and the mare scooped out the outside of the city to make sure they weren't in immediate danger.

(You just highlight each bit and change its color one by one. So I will highlight this as red and then the next thing I will highlight as... whatever color I use next. Not sure who I will be posting as yet honestly. :P *a few minutes later* I guess Orange! Also by city I assume your talking about Manhattan? Are you trying to join the sub group their?)

Apple Jack looked up at the pony who had helped Vinyl over to them. "How did she make it all the way out here without..." She trailed off uncomfortably.

"We have patrols around the parts of Manhattan we control." The gaurd shrugged. "Her ears are still pretty sharp and she managed to avoid getting grabbed or bit till we happened to run into her. Lucky for her, one of us recognized her and was... well a bit of a fan." The gaurd chuckled softy. "Well lucky for us all, because she has been a useful moral boaster, both with her music..." He looked at the blind mare. "And her story. Lot of ponies found their will to fight come back strong after seeing what that armored monster does to anyone who crosses its path."

* * *

Outside the compound, a watch pony lifted a pair of binoculars to his eyes and peered out at the tiny flash of light he had seen. He frowned, unsure if the glint of sunlight on metal had just been his imagination or something more.

(So if you want to start in Manhattan, this watch pony will spot you and lead you into meet with Octavia and Apple Jack. If you would rather start with the main group in Ponyvill, just use your next post to recon the city into the town and head to the farm.)

*In the Living Room*Dr. G was talking to Brandon when suddenly a commotion occurred in the kitchen. "That thing is a real pony????" He asked. "Twilight we'd better see if she's alright and not dangerous for the group's sake." G said as he entered the Kitchen again.

"I was trying to get inside you so I could probe around an find out what makes you tick."

G was uncomfortable for a second as he realized that The Doctor had just implied.... He shook his head.

"Yes what about a Van?" Dr. G asked.

*In Ruby and Colgate's room*

Rarity listened intently to Colgate then spoke.

"Colgate Darling you are missing something. You are missing something big. I need you to listen and listen with an open mind." Colgate nodded. "Let me see your neck... That's it."

Rarity measured out some fabric and began to work on Colgate's throat.

"You've asked me a few times what I see in you or want from you. Truth is Colgate Darling I don't want anything from you. I'm not put off by the blood and lies. I don't entirely blame you for this outbreak. I do love who you are. I see the Colgate I love deeply everyday. I see it when you protect Ruby. I see it when despite everything you help us try to reach our goals. I see it in glimpses before you go hide it away. I didn't fall for your looks Colgate and when I asked you out I didn't know about your child. I fell in love with the mare whom I saw in the dreamscape. You were somepony I could relate to you, were my friend. It's not that I just ignore your flaws. I fell for your personality yes you are strange and a lot of things but despite it all you were willing to give up your life for the cure to this mess. What I am getting out this relationship is that a quirky, strange, adorable, pain in my side has won my heart over by being herself. What I want out of this is for you to just be you, that same mare I saw in the dreamscape, the real you because that's who I fell in love with." Rarity replied as she finished sewing Colgate's neck. It resembled an odd mixture of metal, fur, and fabric but seemed to holding everything together.

(Ya you got it. Just stick to red for Out Of Character or 'OOC' stuff. :))

Scootaloo sighed as she looked out over the dark and silent husk of her home town. With the residents dead or undead, it seemed as if the town had died with them. It was fitting, she thought, more bitterly then she would have liked to admit, that the town should pass away along with all the good memories it once had held. Memories of friends, class mates... Rainbow Dash.

Scootaloo pushed her head into the roof and let out a low growl. She did not believe what they said! She knew Dash and never, not in a million years would she EVER betray them! Scootlaoo knew that her friends, and some friends they had been turning out recently, believed the lies about Rainbow's betrayal. She could tell from the way they looked at her that they were to nervous to say it out loud, but had accepted it none the less.

Scootaloo gritted her teeth and raised her head to yell something, she was not sure what, when something caught her eye and she felt the yell die in her throat.

Colgate was silent for a long time before nodding very slowly. "Okay." She hesitated as her voice came out more clearly then it had since Dash had broken her face and neck. "Thank you." She rubbed at her dry eyes and mumbled. "Celestia's sake, can I not even cry now?" She chuckled weakly and offered Rarity an odd, loop sided smile. "Anyway, if you finish patching me up, I guess I owe you another chance for that, right?"

Sweetie belle glanced downward. Not exactly expecting to see anything out of the ordinary but when she saw the human and the mare creeping towards the barn her heart stopped.

"Oh no...w-who's that..." Sweetie said to herself quickly.

her eyes quickly glanced back finding an equally shocked scootaloo

"Sc-scoots...w-who's that?" Sweetie said as she looked to her friend.

Sweetie looked from the two to the farm house a few times before attempting to grab scootaloo's hoof.

'C-come on...w-we have to go...tell Rarity and the others.' the filly said.

there was clear fear in her voice.

The filly in a panic grabbed scootaloo's hoof attempting to pull her from her perch. Sweetie would attempt to pull scootaloo with her if she was able to move as she sped from the barn to the farm house to warn the group about the two.

***

The girl was deep in a conversation with The magenta mare before her eye caught movement from the barn.

"Sugar...did you see that?" The girl asked quickly.

"What? you saw something?" The mare said as she looked around in confusion.

'Yeah something just ran off....came from the barn." The girl said as she slowly took out her makeshift sword.

"m-maybe it was a squirrel...o-or maybe a bunny?" Sugar belle suggested with a grimace.

"No...don't think so...pretty sure it was a lot bigger..." The girl moved behind a tree behind a tree going into commando mode (not really just being extra sneaky ) Her heart pounded in her chest as she slowly moved out.

Sugar and the girl kept there wits about them as they made there way to the barn.

"Hey look a house." Sugar said as she pointed a hoof to the farm house.

[color=#0000ff]That's when the girl caught a glimpse of sweetie belle(and possibly scootaloo if sweetie was able to pull her along.)rush inside. "That is certainly not a bunny..."[/color]

Derpy's eyes widened as she began to piece things together. "Ruby, you have nothing wrong. In fact I think you may have saved Kat." Derpy draped a wing around the sniffling filly. "It's ok. I may not be a unicorn, but I know a little about them from raising Dinky. It can be pretty scary when you are first learning to use and control your magic. Dinky still has a little trouble with it from time to time. Actually, Ruby, you should be proud. From what I've heard healing magic can be pretty difficult to use. I don't think anyone would be mad if you told them about it. In fact, you might want to talk to an older Unicorn if you would like help controlling your magic. Twilight knows the most about magic, but I would understand if you would find talking to her intimidating. Rarity might be a bit easier to talk to when she's not busy." Derpy turned Ruby to face her. "You don't need to be ashamed of who you are, because those weird, quirky thing about us is what make us special. A very smart stallion told me that a long time ago, and I still believe that today." Derpy's eye's grew a bit misty. "Who knows?" Derpy said wiping her eyes. "Maybe this will lead you to finding your special talent and earning your cutie mark!"

****

Brandon Looked at Kat as she slept and saw a smile creep onto her face. "Doc, I'm feeling a bit drained. No pun intended." He said softly. I'm gonna just get some sleep for a bit. Let me know if anything happens." Brandon sighed as he laid back and closed his eyes.

Twilight Sparkle tore herself away from the drama in the kitchen as Sweetie Belle dashed through the house. "What's the matter?" She looked from the filly to the window and felt her hart skip a beat. "WE HAVE COMPANY!"

Running to the door, Twilight grabbed a shovel and leveled it towered the new arrivals who had hidden behind a tree. "Hey!" She shook the shovel threateningly, in her tiredness temporarily forgetting about the very real danger that firearm wielding humans could represent when threatened. "I saw you! Don't try and hide or we will have to come out their and get you!"

Ruby sniffed harder, but began to smile weakly as she looked up at Derpy. "Really?" She took a quick peek at her blank flank, then refocused on Derpy. "Do you think I could... help other ponies like that?" Her fear was quickly turning into excitement as the idea started to gain traction in her mind. "I could be like... like Doctor Soothing Needles... but less mean?" She blushed. "Sorry."

Sweetie belle quickly hid behind twilight. The filly tilted her head in slight confusion as why the strongest unicorn she knew was using her magic to threaten some potentially dangerous thugs with a shovel but chalked it up to twilight knowing what she was doing and didn't question it.

***

The girl looked out hearing the voice. What she saw caused her eyes to widen in terror. "Oh god flying shovel!"

"It's magic..." Sugar belle said slowly

The girl narrowed her eyes at the color talking horse. "You know you know where I come from a float talking shovel would be considered pretty frightening..."

"I think we have bigger issues right now Jess..."

"Right right." The girl nodded.

The young girl poked her head out ever so slightly.

"Well you talked so your not one of the dead..." The girl paused a moment. "...unless your one of that horny ones with the magic...and somehow learned how to talk...or...or wasn't there some wendigo thing where they could mimic speech!?" The girl was starting to freak herself out

(Note Catching up!) *In Ruby and Colgate's Room* *Before Chaos*"I'm glad you feel that way Darling. It's nice to hear your voice again. Perhaps you are a little dehydrated or something. I'll have to ask Twilight about that."

Rarity worked diligently at patching Colgate up. The hooves were done by now and so was most of Colgate save for her chest region. Rarity thought for a moment. (hmmmm Idea!) She then took a special piece of cloth and worked it gently in her hooves. She added string stitched it carefully. Then she showed it to Colgate.

"Look Darling." She said holding up the piece of cloth. It was a blue patch that matched Colgate's fur and in the center was a Dark blue outlined heart. The center was broken but not separated. The middle was outlined in deep purple and had these purple colored Bandages covering the the broken center. Colgate stared.

"It's symbolic Dear. I remember you telling me you were broken. I can't exactly fix everything but this is my way of showing that my magic may not be able to heal your heart but maybe my love can." Rarity explained as she laid the patch out for Colgate to examine.

* oh by the way hi everybody. Probably should have put this on the first post but I forgot to. I'm shippoma121 and I've taken on the role of sweetie belle and brought in sugar belle and Jess the human girl. Thanks for having me :)*

Twilight lowered the shovel as the two bickered, feel a mix of relief and irritation washing over her. "We are not dead, no." He set the shovel aside and raised a hood non threateningly. "And it does not sound like your looking cause any trouble, so why don't you both..." She looked for a moment at the large group inside and feeling secure in their safety finished, "Come inside."

* * *

Colgate looked at the hart for a long time before closing her eyes and laying back with a sigh. "Rarity, if you promise to never say something that corny ever again I will let you sew that hart on me." She reached over and rested a hoof on Rarities side. "And maybe after you finish sewing me back up, you and Sweetie can stay with me and Ruby tonight."

*WELCOME! Rarity will definitely be enjoying these interactions with Sweetie Belle. I'm kinda looking forward to that. Just finishing this part up and we will get to you coming closer*

*In Ruby's and Colgate Room *

"I promise Darling!" Rarity said smiling as Colgate Rested her hoof on her side. "I would very much like that and I'm sure Sweetie would too." Rarity replied. She worked diligently and quickly finished sewing back together Colgate. "There we go good as new. Well sorta." Rarity said resting a hoof on Colgate's side.

"Rarity! Miss derpy! somepony! anypony!" Sweetie Belle screamed."Sweetie! I'm sorry Colgate darling I have to go see what's wrong Sweetie doesn't usually Yell like that! Just in case stay in here where you're safe!" Rarity said abruptly rushing out of the room. "Sweetie Belle where are you?" Rarity called looking for her sister.

*In Kitchen*G lowered his gun as Twilight invited the strangers in. He looked at his own lab coat still covered in Blood and wondered about these new arrivals he was still ready should he have to shoot. He had too many people counting on him.